Apparatus for developing photographic plates.



s. A. MISCHANSKY.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES.

APPLicATIoN HLED FEB. 11. 1915.

l ,202,405 Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

S. A. MISCHANSKY.

APPARAYUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I7. I9I5.

l ,202,405 Y Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

S. A. IVIISCHANSKY.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGHAPHIC PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I7. ISIS.

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STEPHEN A. MISCHANSKY, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 0F THIBTY ONE- HUNDREDTHS T0 STANISLAW LNISKI, 0F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING PHOTOGRAPHIC PLATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24K, 1916.

Application led February 17, 1915. Serial N o. 8,715.

To all ywhom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, STEPHEN A; Mrs- CHANSKY, a subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, and resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Developing Photographic Plates, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus for developing photographic plates.

The main object is to provide a simple and easily portable apparatus by which the negative plate may be thoroughly developed, washed and fixed in daylight without'liability of exposing any portion of such plate, thereby obviating the necessity for the usual dark room and permitting the plates to be developed immediately following the exposure and in any locality where thev photograph may be taken without leaving or changing the position of the camera.

One of the specific objects is to provide means for transferring the plate holder from the camera to thedeveloping apparatus without removing the exposed plate or plates therefrom, so that when properly positioned on such apparatus, the negative plate may be deposited into the developer bath without liability of exposure, after which the open side of the developer tray may be closed and the dark frame for the plate holder replaced by an auxiliary frame into which the negative plate may be withdrawn for successive transfer to the washing and fixing baths.

Another object is to provide the apparatus with meansfor receiving and supporting in compact space a ,plurality ofv developed plates for temporary storage and drying and capable of being transported from place to place with the apparatus.

Other objects and usesl relating to specific parts of the device will be brought out in the following description. j y

In the drawings-Figure l is a perspective view of va plate developing, washing and fixing apparatus embodying the various features of my invention ready fory use, omitting the dark frame. Figs. 2 and 3 are, respectively, an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on line 9.-2, and a transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 3 3," Fig. 1, except that the plate protecting framefor transferring the photographic platefrom the developing tray to the washing and fixing' trays is shown in operative position upon the sliding carriage in registration with the developer tray. Fig. 4 is an enlarged face view of the upper portion of one end of the apparatus shown in Fig. l, omitting the adjacent tank, the adj acent end ofethe handle strap being shown in section. Fig. 5 is a VVtop plan, partly broken away, of a portionof the same apparatus, showing more particularly the sliding carriages and means for' holding the plate carrier in its elevated position. Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view, partly broken away, of the upper p0rtion of the apparatus taken in the pl-ane of line 6-6, Fig. 3. Fig.' 7 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view, partly broken away, through the A same apparatus taken in the plane of line '7 v7, Fig. 3. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of what may be termed thc dark frame for transferring the plate holder from' the camera to the developing apparatus, the plate holder being omitted.

Figs. 9 and 10 are,respectively, a longitudinal vertical sectional 'view taken on line 9 9, and a transverse vertical sectional v1ew taken on line lO-lD, Fig. 8, the plate holder being shown in operative position with the inner shutter removed to.; release thephotographic plate to be developed. Fig. 1l is a detail sectional view ofl one side of the dark frame and .adjacent portion of the plate holder, showing the means for releasing the plate from the holder preparatory to depositing such plate into the developer tray. Fig. l2 is aperspective view of the plate carrier for raising' and lowering the plates into and out of the several trays. Fig. 13 is a side view of the movable carriage guide showing modifications in hinging and holding it in its normal position.

The plate holder as -A- is of the ordi nary construction commonly used in photographic cameras for receiving and supporting the sensitized plates during exposure and is provided with the usual opaque partition and one or more, in this instance two, sliding shutters gaf-'- which are guided in the frame of the holder to protect the graphic fplate in the'plate sensitized` plates from exposure except when drawn'to vexpose the sensitized surface of,l the plate tothe actionof light projected' through the camera lens lin the `well known` manner. The plate holder'with the negative plate or platestherein is then withdrawn from the camera and' placed in what may be termed a dark frame 1 which-is recessed in one sido for this purpose and is provided with suitable catches 7 hinged thereto for retaining the plate holder in the recess, the back of the dark traine being closedI to exclude light from thene'gativev plate when the inner shutter of the plate holder is withdrawn. @ne sideole the plate holder is provided with the usual movable bar b spring pressed into enga-gement with the adjacent edge ot' the plate by one or more sprin gs' b for retaining the photoholder; In the adjacent' sidc=oitliedarl trame-a is jo-urnaled la plate-releasing pin movable endwise and havino its inner end provided .with a lateral o iset l- `movable into and out of engagement with' the Vbar L for withdrawing said bar from engagement with the adjacent vedge of the photographic plate and releasingthe latter, the outer end of the release pin- B being provided with a handle 5 by which it may be turned and drawn outwardly when engaged with-thebar. l against the action *ot the springs thereby permitting the photographic plate to be deposited into the recess as G of the dark trame.

i-r shutter gate, 7 is journaled along one edge. inthe back oi? the 'traine 1 below the lower edge et the plate holder as shown in Fig. l0, and extends lfrom sideto side ot the bottom ot the recess Q for-closing the same and excluding light, and also serve; asa temporary suppantftlnthe photogrzfphictplate which has Y 'sariously released trom the plate into theirecess G said released p1 te being discharged from the plate holder l, .slight shalt-ing ot the frame 1 i lll-hen the photographic plate has been deposited into the recess l5- and upon its temporary support" (ga.te 7 the frame 1 is placed edgcwise vertically upon a slp-i de. 8 ;whic h is guided on the 4upper side of a horizontally niovable carriage Q forming the topV of the-main l'case 10 of theappjaratus. The slide S is 'provided with a lengthwise groove 11- in its upper side for receiving and tempornrilj7 V'retaining the lower edge of the dark iframe` 1 so as tod cause the trame to move with the slide.Y which latter is also provided with'an opening l2- registering with. and. runmovable intoand out of registration with a similar opening 13 in the carriage 9 as shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 5. lVh'enthe slide S with the frame 1 mountedthereon is shifted toregister its opening 12 with the opening 13, the shutter 7" A may'be' rocked downwardly 4,inv the direction indicated by the arrow in `Fig. 10 by means of a handle 14l on the shutter spindle which extends through the trame to the outside thereof, as shown in Fig. 9, thus releasing the` negative plate restingv onfthe gate and permitting said plate to' drop intothe developer bath in an underlying tray 15- and on to a hori- 'zontalfbar 16 of a vertically movable carrier 17 as shown in Figs. 2 and 1:2. Theshutter 7 is normally held in its closed position by a spring detent 14 whichv engages the handle M and is secured to the adjacent side of the trame and may be released from its holdin Aposi"- tionby pressing itsfree end inwar' ly out of engagement with said handle to allow the shutter to rock downwardly under the weight of the plate resting thereon. After the negativ-*e plate has been deposited into he developer tray in the manner just described, the slide 8 with the frame 1 thereon is shifted rearwardly along suitable guides 18 in opposite ends of the carriage Q until the opening 13 is effectively closed by the slide, whereupon the frame 1 is removed from the slide and laid aside and is replaced by another frame 19 having opposite plates 20 of red glass or equivalent material arranged in spaced relation for forming a chamber 21 to receive the negative plate which has been previously immersed-in the developer bath in the tray 15 the colored plates 20 being of such character and material as to render the photographic plate visible therethrough when held up to the light, and at the same time to prevent such light from having any ellect upon the photographic matter lon the negative plate.

Suitable means as a sliding catch 8- is provided on the slide -8 for engaging the lower portions of either the dark frame 1--- or transter trame to hold said .with the opening 13-7, in the carriage v so that fby moving fthecarriage- 9 40 is moved up and down in the developer tray .the chamber -21- and opening 13- may be brought into registi-ation with the open upper ends of either one of the trays -15-,

and 24- These trays are preferably arranged vertically side by side in close juxtaposition within the central portion of the case or housing l0-, leaving additional chambers -25- and -26- at the outer sides of the trays, the chamber 25" serving as a. i'eservoir for receiving the fixed negative plates, while the chamber 26H serves to receive the transfer case when not in use or when transporting the entire apparatus from place to place.

The carrier 17 is provided with upright parallel rods 27- having their lower ends secured to opposite ends of the bar 16- and their upper ends extending through guide openings -28- in opposite ends of the Carriage -9- just beyond the corresponding ends of the slide -8- so as not to interfere with the free action of said slide, and at the same time permitting the carrier to be moved back and forth with the carriage when raised to bring the bar -16- above the upper edges of the trays -l5-, -23- and -24, the upper ends of the rods :27- being connected by a handle -29- which is offset a sufficient distance to one side of the opening -13- to allow the dark frame -land transfer case to be readily inserted in the groove -11-.

It is now clear that after the transfer case has been properly placed upon the slide -S and drawn back to register its opening -12- with the opening -l3- which is then in registration with the open upper end of the developer tray -15-, the carrier -17- with the photographic plate thereon l5- and transfer case until the negative plate is fully developed, after which the carrier with the plate thereon may be raised a suiiicient distance to bring the photographic plate wholly within the transfer case and opening -13- above the upper edge of the trayy A5- in which position the carrier may be locked by suitable catches -30 entering notches -81 in the upright rods 27 as shown in Figs. 2 and 12, whereupon the carriage -9- with the transfer case containing the developedplate and also the carrier -17- may be shifted to bring the opening 13- in said carriage into registration with the next succeeding tray *..3- containing the washing iuid, after which the catches -30- may be released and the carriage with the plate thereon lowered into the washing tray for thoroughly washing the plate by moving the carriage up and down, After the plate is washed in the manner described in the tray #223-, it is again raised bythe carrier -17- into the transfer case and carriage -9-, which 5 latter is again shifted to register its opening -13- with the ripper' open end of the tray 24H containing the fixing bath, the carriage with the plate thereon being then lowered into the fixing tray and moved up and down until the negative is thoroughly fixed, whereupon the catch -8- may be withdrawn and the transfer case removed and laid aside, after which the fixed plate may be raised by the carrier 17- through the opening -13- above the carriage a sufficient distance to allow it tobe withdrawn by hand and placed in a suitable holder -32- in the chamber Q5.

The carriage 9 may be moved back and forth by hand, but for convenience of operation, I have secured to the lower face of its opposite ends nearV one side toothed racks -33- engaged by pinions 84- which are mounted upon a lengthwise shaft -35- having anexternal operating knob or wheel -36-, as shown more clearly in Figs. 3 and 6, said carriage being movable along and upon the upper edges of the Case lO- and held in its operative position by angular guides -37-. One of the guides 37u is hinged at 38- to the adjacent end of the case so that it may be rocked out of engagement with the corresponding end of the carriage to permit the latter to be removed when it is desired to refill or remove the trays, it being understood that these trays are loosely mounted in the case to permit them to be withdrawn and refilled outside of the case if necessary, said movable j may be accurately determined, the upper faces of the opposite ends of the slide and adjacent portions of the carriage are provided with index marks ii-1 which, when registered with each other,indicate that the slots or` openings 12- and -13- are registered and when not so registered, as shown in Fig. 5, indicate that theopening 43* in the carriageis closed by the slide. The upper face of the opposite endsof the carriage is also provided with a series of graduations 42- movable 'successively into registration with an index marl( -43- on the guides -37- to indicate the registra tion of the opening 13- with the upper ends of the several trays -l5-, 23- and n-Q-lso that the operator may accurately select the proper tray into which the photographic plate is to be inserted.

The bottom ofthe carrier .17--is provided with grooved seats 44- and upstanding spring arms -45- for retaining the photographic plate FB in xed relation thereto so that it may be readily raised and lowered into and out vof thetransfer case without liabilityV of catching on the 'reo liti

edges ,of the openings in the carriage -9-- and slide v--8-.

The front and rear sides of the case 10- are preferably hinged at their lower edges at -46- to the bottom of said case to permitaccess to the inside of the compartments -25- and -26-, and are normally held in .their closed positions by hooks l7- which are pivoted to the ends of the box and engaged with suitable shoulders -48 on the adjacent ends of the sides.

'The plate holder -32- in the compartment -25- is provided with upstanding arms or end-pieces 49- and -50- rising from the bottom thereof and provided near .their upper rends with clasps *5l* in spaced relation for receiving the edges of the fixed ,photographic vplates between them, one of the upright end-pieces as -50- being adjustable lengthwise of the bottom -52--, and .for ,this purpose its lower end is `dovetailed and slidably fitted in a dovetailed groove 3-f, thereby adapting the holder to plates of different sizes. The other compartment -26- is of sufficient size Eto receive the -transfer frame or case so that all the parts of ythe apparatus exclusive of the dark frame may be inclosed within yor mounted upon the main case -l0.

Another feature of my invention consists in providing the case with means for supporting one or more, in this instance two, cans ,or receptacles -55- and -56-, carrying, respectively, ka quantity of the developer and the fixing solution vfor replenishing .the corresponding trays when desired, each can being provided with a pair of brackets -577- secured to the inner upright face thereof and formed with key-hole slots .58- for engaging the heads of screws -59- or Vequivalent fastening means on the adjacent ends of the case 10- to lock the can thereto, and at the same time permit it to be removed when necessary.

A pair of straps -60- and -61- are secured at one end to suitable loops -63- on opposite ends of the case, one-of the sections -61- being provided with a buckle for receiving .the apertured end of the other section -60 to form a carrying strap by which the entire apparatus may be easily carried from place to place.

I n Fig. 1 3, the movable angle guide for the carriage is shown as supported by two hinges and is held in its normal position by a sliding detent -39- guided thereon. I

What I claim is:

1. In a developing apparatus, a tray for developing liquid, a cover slidable across the top of the tray and having an opening for registration therewith, a slide on the cover having an opening movable into and out of registration with the opening in the sliding cover, and means removably vmounted on the slide for transferring the plate to be developed from a plate holder through the registering openings and into the underlying tray.

2. In a developing apparatus, a case having a slidable top provided witha lengthwise opening therein `for kreceiving a .photographic plate, a developer tray in the case having its upper end open and underlying the cover, a slotted slide on the cover, a plate-receiving case surrounding the slot in the slide and rising from the slide, and means guided in the cover separate from the slide for raising and lowering the plate in the tray and plate-receiving case.

8. In a developing apparatus, a case having a slidable cover provided with a lengthwise opening for receiving a photographic plate, a tray within the case underlying said cover, and a. plate carrier guided in openings in the cover and movable in the tray for raising and lowering the plate and provided with a handle bar extending lengthwise of the opening at one side thereof.

4. In a developing -apparatus for photographic plates, the combination with a case and a plurality of upright trays arranged side by side therein and -open at the top, of ka cover slidable across and upon the top of the case and provided with a lengthwise opening registrable with the open tops of the trays one at a time, a slide movable across and upon the cover and provided with a lengthwise opening registrable with that in the cover, a supporting frame for the plate holder having an open lower end resting upon and registering with the opening in the slide, and a shutter gate in the lower open end of the frame for temporarily supporting the photographic plate and excluding light therefrom, said gate being operable at will to release the plate and allow it to enter the underlying tray.

5. In a developing apparatus for photographic plates, an upright tray open at the top and adapted to contain a developing solution and to receive a photographic plate, a superposed upright frame having any interior chamber adapted to receive a photographic plate, said chamber being open at the bottom and registrable with the open upper end of the tray to allow the photographic plate to be transferred from the frame to the tray and vice versa through the communicating passage, and a carrier for the plate movable in the tray, but wholly at the outside of the chamber in the superposed frame.

6. In a developing apparatus, the combination of a case, a plurality of plate-receiving trays within the case and open at the top, a carriage movable across the tops of the trays and provided with a lengthwise opening movable into and out of registration therewith, a plate-carrying frame covering said opening to permit the plate to pass therethrough, and means mounted on the carriage i'or raising and lowering the plate in any one of the trays and transfer case registered therewith.

'7. In a developing apparatus, a case containing a plurality of upright compartments for receiving, respectively, the developing liquid, the washing liquid, and the fixing solution, a carriage movable across the tops of the trays and provided with an opening for successive registration therewith to receive a photographic plate, and a slide on the carriage movable across the opening therein and also provided with a lengthwise opening for registration with the first named opening.

8. In a developing apparatus, a case containing a plurality ot' upright compartments for receiving, respectively, the developing liquid, the washing liquid, and the fixing solution, a carriage movable across the tops of the trays and provided with an opening for successive registration therewith to receive a photographic plate, a slide on the carriage movable across the opening therein and also provided with a lengthwise opening for registration with the rst named opening, and a plate carrier mounted on the carriage and movable into and out ot' any one of said trays.

9. In a developing apparatus,.the combination of a series of upright trays arranged side by side and open at the top, a carriage movable transversely across the open tops of the trays and provided with a lengthwise slot registrable therewith in sequence, and a vertically movable plate-carrier guided in openings in said carriage at opposite ends ot' the slot and adapted to be registered with the upper open end of any one ot the trays as the carriage is shifted for movement into and out of such tray.

l0. In a developing apparatus, the combination of a series of upright trays arranged side by side and open at the top, a carriage movable transversely across the open tops of the trays and provided with a lengthwise slot registrable therewith in sequence, a vertically movable plate-carrier guided in openings in said carriage at opposite ends of the slot and adapted to be registered with the upper open end of any one of the trays as the carriage is shifted for movement into and out of such tray, and cooperative means on the carriage and carrier, respectively, for locking the carrier in its uppermost position.

1l. In a developing apparatus, a case having an opening in its top for receiving a photographic plate, a plurality of trays Within the case and open at the top, said top being movable to register its opening with any one of the trays while covering the remaining trays, and a shutter-slide mounted on the cover and movable across the opening therein to exclude light from the tray with which the opening may be registered.

12. In a developing apparatus, a case, a plurality of trays arranged side by side within the case and open at the top, a cover for the case slidable across the upper ends of the trays and provided with a lengthwise opening movable into registration with any one of the trays and covering the remain ing trays, a shutter-slide mounted on the cover and provided with an opening movable into and out of registration with the opening therein, and a plate-receiving frame mounted on the slide and having an opening in its bottom registering with that in the slide, said frame having translucent red colored sides.

13. In a developing apparatus of the character described, an upright tray open at the top and adapted to receive a developing liquid and a photographic plate, a superposed cover having a lengthwise slot registrable with the open top ot the tray to permit a plate to pass therethrough, an upright frame above the cover having an interior chamber open at the bottom and registrable with said slot to receive a photographic plate and permit its passage therefrom through the slot and into the tray, and a shutter movable to and from a position across said chamber near the lower open end thereof for temporarily supporting the plate and excluding light therefrom when closed and for permitting said plate to pass into the tray when the shutter is opened.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 4th day of February, 1915.

STEPHEN A. MISCHANSKY.

Witnesses:

I-I. E. CHASE, ALICE M. CANNON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing4 the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

